Power Genius XL

Burch - K4QXX

I don't use a tuner much with the amp.  I have a Stepir vertical right now for HF so I don't need a tuner for 10-80 meters.  I have a 160 meter inverted L that I do use a tuner with.  I use a MFJ-998 tuner for 160 meters.  I have a Force 12 C3 beam that I plan to put on the tower in the fall and I will need to use a tuner for 12/17 meters with that antenna.  I purchased my PGXL amp before the end of 2017 so I will eventually be getting the Tuner Genius.

dlwarnberg

Thank you... how do you like the Steppir Vertical?  I assume you have the BigIR Mark IV?  yes I have been looking....

Tim VE6SH

Burch

I have an identical antenna setup (F12 C3, StepIR Vertical, 160m wire)as you. The PGXL runs seamlessly on the C3 on 12/17 using a Palstar Auto Tuner. I will swap out the Palstar (a great tuner) once the Tuner Genius is available.

73

Tim VE6SH

Burch - K4QXX

I can't wait to get my C3 up on the tower.  It's so hot down here in Florida that I haven't been motivated to spend time outside.  How does your C3 compare to the StepIR vertical?  I have a ton of wire burred under my StepIr so it plays pretty nice but I don't have anything to compare it to except for wire dipoles.

Burch - K4QXX

David

I really like the StepIR vertical.  I have the big vertical with the 80 meter coil.  It's been up for 6-7 years now and it works very well.  I used to be into VHF/UHF weak signal stuff but I took all my antennas off the tower and now have room for a HF beam. 

Pat N6PAT

The thing I love the most about the Flex community is that everyone is so respectful of other people's opinions.

Tim VE6SH

The C3 outperforms the vertical hands down. It is at 15 metres (the height in Canada you can install without "consultation") and even at that height it works quite well. I have an awkward shaped lot so I am restricted in putting radials down to the west, but on the low bands the SteppIR works quite well. I live very close to the center of Calgary so am plagued by noise (which gets worse every year) but the Flex does a good job knocking it back.

I had a C3S and find the longer boom on the C3 helps in performance. 

I also run a remote station on Vancouver Island and the SteppIR performs excellent  there as it is only 100m back from the Ocean. 

mikeatthebeach .

Use a Palstar HF Auto with my PGXL here Works Great 73 Mike

Patrick

To each his own......

Clay N9IO

You're right David too many throwing it to the wind that really aught to listen more and know the limitations of their system instead of calling over the DX creating the lidfests like they do. But a real DXer and Contester knows full well you got to hear em to work em that's why guys like Howard have the big aluminum up in the air I suspect. Myself, I learned to use all of my antennas for lower noise figure on bands they would not normally be used to transmit. I've done OK with this arrangement.

KC9EI - Dave

OK..OK... MY first WAS came as a Novice, running 75 watts through a homemade tuner, into a spool of #30 wire thrown up into a tree...and.... did it in 30 days... Hey... it's the only bragging rights I've been able to acquire so far so be kind

Pat N6PAT

Well done!

HCampbell WB4IVF

I once had Collins dreams on a Heathkit budget, so Heathkits and Knightkits it was!  Looking back that was not such a bad deal, since I learned a lot about soldering and more.

I had actually considered the Prometheus and emailed Mike for details.  He finally answered to let me know it was no longer available.  Glad it wasn't, since PGXL met or exceeded my expectations in just about every way, with way less impact on the estate to boot!

Howard

Clay N9IO

Howard I just wish I had jumped on early in the PGXL process. At the time the PGXL was being introduced I was already set with my Acom 1000 in fact I sold my TL922, L4B and ALS600 and settled on the Acom 1000. Excellent amp, was thinking at the time it would be my early retirement amp. It's an excellent amp but now with Flex's advancements in remotability coupled with higher speed internet finally reaching me here in Podunk Hollow I find myself wanting a fully automatic amplifier. Timing is everything and would really love to have the PGXL BUT my plan is to go part time the end of the year retire in three. After 30+ years on this job I'm taking it back a notch, sure as **** not gonna live forever. The funds are here now without screwing with the 401 so I got on the list for the 2K-FA due to deliver end of July or so I hope. I don't feel like it's a compromise at all. This is a fine stout amp with plenty of overhead. I've done my homework but the clincher for me honestly was KY6LA Howard speaks highly of his I feel I'll be in great shape. So QRP and/or low power contesting/DXing is not an option here! I'm actually going to be able to chase DX with all of this extra time, hooray! Now if I can get a resonable offer for my Acom that would be great to slightly offset the cost difference but if not I'll just keep it as a backup I suppose. My that was windy.

HCampbell WB4IVF

Clay, I’m pretty sure you’ll be happy with the 2kfa (it was on my candidate list) and it has some features not in the PG.   

I retired from DoD after 30 years, and worked several more years more with Raytheon, before finally calling it quits 6 years ago.  I sure don’t miss those 3+ hour commutes to/from DC and NVA at all!  Enjoy your upcoming retirement, as I am enjoying mine!

BTW my first rig, a novice Heathkit HW-16, was stashed in the basement my whole working career and still works!  What fun it was, amp or no amp! 

Howard

Clay N9IO

Thank you for the sentiment, yah sometimes I wish I could be that 15 year old with a DX60 again. On the other hand it really makes me appreciate the 6600 that much more. Have a good one.

Mike W9OJ

Looks like a pair of Johnson Desk Kilowatts in push-pull.

k0eoo

Congrats Pat on the 5BWAZ, I still need 18 more, mostly on 80 and 10m...

KF4HR

Interesting how a question asking about the PG-XL status and use sometimes tends to morph into the never ending QRO vs QRP issue.  With the exception of those struggling to hear the weaker stations, I question why anyone would give a hoot whether some other station decides to buy an amplifier (or not).   

Getting back to the subject of this thread (status).  Besides W5AP, has anyone else received their PG-XL so far in July? 

SteveM

Old men comparing the length and girth of their coax - not much different than when they were teenagers. The only difference is that the subject of their teenage competition has long since fizzled out.

ctate243

We received our second PGXL at N6RO last week.

Clay N9IO

Isn't that the truth....

Clay N9IO

Hmm, aught to be some crazy scores this contest season. Lock and load.

Asher - K0AU

PG-XL arrived last week. Couple days to lay out the rack around it (and still waiting for a box of patch cables). Who would have guessed a radio rack needs more than 8 Ethernet ports? Once I got it cabled and powered it came up seamlessly.

PG-XL + Flex + power switching + network + misc stuff completely fills a 20U rack. Probably need to add a second rack and figure out how to split stuff out to accommodate a tuner and possibly a second radio

Burch - K4QXX

Asher, when did you order your PGXL?  Curious if Flex is catching up now. 

dlwarnberg

Pics???  

Asher - K0AU

Ordered October 2017. Pics when I get cabling trimmed out properly.

Eric Gruff

So those of us that order a PGXL now should expect delivery around April 2021.

Asher - K0AU

That seems a bit harsh. I think the shipment pace has picked up. I, for one, think they handled the PG-XL very well. They announced early - so we knew what was coming. Then Flex stopped shipment when they found a problem. They resumed shipment when they resolved the problem.

I have an Alpha 9500 for sale pretty soon for those who can't wait for QRO!

Eric Gruff

I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek. I am mostly disappointed because I'd really like a PGXL, but still looks like a long wait.

BTW, that's what I'm using now - Alpha 9500 and Acom 2100 on the 2nd channel. The Alpha's a brute! Just doesn't do 6 M or SO2R by itself.